Oximeters are well known. Prior to the instant invention, self-contained oximeters come in the form of bulky housings that clip onto the finger of a patient, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,052. Another example of a self-contained oximeter is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,621, assigned to the assignee of the instant application. In these prior art self-contained finger oximeters, electronics are contained in housings that pivotally grasp the finger of a patient ('052 patent) or a housing that forms an opening to which the finger of the patient is inserted ('621 patent). Once the oxygen saturation level of the patient is determined, these finger oximeters may be removed from the patient and used on other patients, as these finger oximeters are reusable devices.
There is also in the market a bandage that has embedded therein the light emitter and sensor of an oximeter. The electronics for operating the light emitter and sensor and to which the bandage is connected is located remotely from the bandage. This device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,735,459, 6,721,585, 6,684,091, 6,519,487, 6,343,224, 6,321,100 and 6,144,868. Only the bandage is disposable in this device.